My Friend, Miriel
by DonCorneo
Summary: Sully has a big "secret" that Miriel is all too eager to investigate further. Contains mature content.


Author's Note:

This is a prequel to _My Wife, Miriel_, though the two stories can be read and enjoyed separately or in either order. While this story is built around an extended scene between Miriel and Futa!Sully, it leans heavily toward Miriel/M!Robin and Sully/Virion. I just didn't have it in my heart to abort Kjelle from time! Hopefully you can enjoy the smut and dialogue, anyway.

"Miriel!"

Sully took a few steps into the barracks and put her hands on her hips. She spread her feet apart and smiled. "Just the girl I wanted to see."

Miriel looked up from the desk where she was seated and pushed up her glasses. "Greetings and salutations, Sully," she said, greeting her friend with a subtle smile. "Are you in need of assistance?"

"You're an egghead, right? You like researching and investigating things?"

Someone else might have batted an eyelash or two at such name-calling, but Miriel was completely unfazed. "Why, yes," she said. "Unlocking the mysteries and wonders of the natural world gives me-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Sully, batting Miriel's words away with a few waves of her wrist. "Look, I have a favor to ask."

Miriel peered at her over the rim of her glasses. "...You wish me to develop a new weapon? Something of that ilk?"

The tall Amazon closed one of her eyes and bared her teeth, looking just a tiny bit embarrassed. She had even slouched a bit. "Naw, nothing like that," she said, standing up straighter. "I want you to study _me_!"

Miriel's eyes went wide. She had been carefully studying all of her peers, in truth, but this was her first invitation to do so. In spite of herself, she winced and let out a breathy grunt. "You?" Her voice was shaking, betraying her curiosity. "Well, that would be most unusual..."

Sully let out a long sigh. She had, of course, noticed the brainy girl sneaking glances at her all the time; she'd been a bit weirded out, at first, but as time went on, she was starting to find it kind of... cute. She couldn't say for sure if Miriel was actually checking her out or if she was just being her typical egghead self, but either way, Sully couldn't help but sneak a few glances of her own in return; that perfectly straight hair, those pretty eyes hiding behind a pair of cute, feminine glasses... the way her robes conformed to her hips...

"I confess," Miriel said, snapping Sully back to the conversation at hand. "I had never considered you as a possible field of research, but..."

Sully bit her lip. There was something in Miriel's voice, some subtle lilt or tremor... something that made her words ring false. _Horse shit,_ thought Sully, fighting back a smile.

"Yeah, well, maybe it's time you consider it," she said, crossing her arms. "You might have noticed that I'm not like other women, right?"

Miriel pushed up her glasses. "If you are speaking of your martial prowess," she said, "then yes. It is a known quantity."

Sully winced yet again. "Er, yeah! Right! That!" She could feel a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. She bit her lip and swallowed. "...And some other stuff, too," she said. Beneath her armor, beneath her smallclothes, she could feel her penis twitching, struggling against the bindings that held it firmly in place against her stomach.

Sully knew exactly how "not like other women" she really was. She'd fought hard to move past the days of her youth when the other girls in her village ran from her, screaming. She'd spent so much of every day _binding_ and _hiding_ and _repressing_ and _worrying_ about her "gift," going well out of her way to make sure that nobody ever found out again. She fully expected to die alone, believing that finding somebody who could love her for who she was - or for _what_ she was - was an impossible dream.

And then, along came Miriel. Miriel, who was so infinitely curious about everything; Miriel, who took in every hideously weird thing or tremendously weird person that they came across with the same fascinated expression. Miriel, the only one in camp who actively tried to keep Kellam in her sights - a nigh impossible task, mind you - just for the sake of trying to "solve" him, like a puzzle. Miriel, who threw herself in danger's path just to see how Lon'Qu would react.

Sully had managed to convince herself that, if there existed anyone in the world who could look upon her nude body and react not with horror, but with great interest, surely, it had to be Miriel. Even though every fiber of her being told her _No, don't tell her. She'll hate you. You're a fool._ Even in spite of that... she believed in Miriel. She hoped... no, she _knew_... that if she only opened herself up, Miriel, of all people, would accept her. She just _had to_.

It wasn't even so much that she saw the bespectacled redhead as a romantic interest. That would have been great, and it would do much for Sully's pent-up sexual frustrations, but really, more than anything else, she just wanted somebody - anybody - to confide in. Someone to accept her for what she was, to help convince herself that she wasn't a freak. That she wasn't a monster. She wanted a friend. Miriel was that friend. She just knew it.

"Look," said Sully, scratching behind her head. "I just want you to figure out what's so different about me. I mean, I _try_ to fit in, I really do, but something sets me apart."

"I see," said Miriel, closing her eyes. "You wish me to observe your social interactions and verbal communications. In this way, I might see behavioral signifiers that differentiate you from the group norm."

Sully smiled. She had understood maybe a quarter of those words, but that Miriel seemed interested in studying her was enough. "That is probably exactly what I'm saying!" she said, letting out a small chuckle. "...I think."

"I need time to prepare my queries and form a control group," said Miriel. "Is this acceptable?"

"Er, sure," said Sully. A soft giggle escaped her lips. "Whatever you just said. Whatever it takes." She shot her friend a big, beaming smile and waved goodbye, strutting out of the barracks with a spring in her step.

She wondered how much time Miriel might possibly need, but decided not to worry, for now. She had taken that first step. That was enough. On her way out of the barracks, however, she bumped into Virion.

She recoiled. Perfect... the _last_ guy she wanted to see right now.

"Ah, Sully," he said, wearing a warm smile. He quickly put on a flustered grimace to match Sully's own. "...Hmm? Why are you looking at me so? ...Is there something on my face?"

She bared her teeth and let out a nervous grunt. "I'm the wrong person to ask," she said, trying to walk past him. She turned around and gave him a nervous smile. "I've been seeing things lately."

"And yet," said Virion, following her out into camp. "your beautiful eyes appear as clear and sharp as ever."

Sully could feel her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. There was just no way he'd be saying this stuff if he knew...

"Tell me of these visions, milady," he said, "that I might offer some support."

She furrowed her brow and stepped up to him, digging her finger into his chest. "You fought a duel, you damned fool! What's more, you _won!_"

He seemed a bit taken aback, blinking a few times as he took in her words. "_And,_" she said, "you beat someone the others had trouble fighting as a unit! If that isn't seeing things, I don't know what is."

A wry smile appeared on his face, and he reached for her hand. She wrenched it back. "Are you truly so surprised at that, milady?"

She put on her best scowl. "I told you before that I would accept a duel had I only a reason," he said.

"And what was this reason?"

"That man had to be stopped," said Virion. He was very matter-of-fact, as if the answer was patently obvious. Sully rolled her eyes. She supposed it was. "Had I let him escape," he said, "he might have turned his wrath upon neighboring villages."

Sully scrunched up her face. "Tch... So you risked your neck for a handful of villagers?"

He closed his eyes and put on a smarmy grin. "I fought to defend the defenseless," he said. "No true nobleman would do less."

_Yeah, right_, thought Sully. _You just wanted to impress me, dammit_...

"But nor would he enter meaningless battles like a blood-mad savage in search of glory."

Sully bit her lip. That was too on-the-nose! It was like he was reading her mind!

"Ugh," said Virion. "...The very though disgusts me."

A shiver ran up Sully's spine. She didn't need these thoughts right now. The whole thing with Miriel went great, but now... now, here was Ruffles. She couldn't stand this guy, and yet... He was the only guy in camp that made her feel like... a woman. And she didn't even especially _like_ the way he assumed she was this dainty flower in need of protecting, but... as much as she may have hated to admit it, she kind of liked hearing him prattle on about how beautiful she was. It made her feel... normal. It made her feel like she wasn't defined by her blunt mannerisms or her freakish anatomy. But she was sure she didn't need this... She could feel the monster in her pants dancing and twitching, trying its best to stand up. _No_...

She cleared her throat and spoke up. "So... is that why you want to defend me?"

"Exactly!" Virion reached for her hand again, and this time... this time she still wrenched it back, but not as far. He clapped his hands around it, putting a scowl on her face. "You, my dear, are a lady fair. A paragon of grace and beauty."

_No! Grace? Beauty? Dammit, Virion, if you knew what I really was...!_

"Any fellow who would call himself a gentleman would defend such a creature."

She yanked back her hand and gave him a good, hard punch on the shoulder. He winced and reeled back, clutching his collarbone. She was showing a little restraint; she had meant to deck him in the face, but thought better of it at the last moment. "Don't call me a creature, you flowery snot!"

Her heart was aflutter, which only made her angrier. The last thing she needed right now was to develop_ feelings_ for a guy... And _Ruffles_ of all, people! "And I can defend my own damn self," she spat, trying her damndest to put such thoughts out of her mind.

She couldn't fight back the smirk that wormed its way across her chin, though, or the giggle that escaped her lips. "Although... Well..."

"I guess I don't mind if you call me a lady," she said. _No! What are you saying?!_ "...But only because I've seen you show a bit of courage on the battlefield. If not for that, I'd send you off half the "gentleman" you used to be."

Virion stared into her eyes and smiled. "Then you accept me as a hero worthy of protecting you?"

"Let's not get crazy now, Ruffles," she said, digging her fists into her hips. "I just promoted you from lousy craven to decent guy. That's all." She rolled her eyes, shook her head... and smiled. "...And I suppose you can watch my back in a brawl."

He closed his eyes and chuckled through pursed lips. "Aye," he said, "and soon you'll trust your tender heart to my love's fearsome embrace!"

_Augh_. And there it was. Sully pushed her thighs together and doubled over a bit, feeling her penis stiffening against her abs, threatening to tear through its tight binds. _Stay down..._

"...Okay," she laughed, trying to hide the wobble in her knees. "You're still clearly insane."

She backed away from him, offering only a small wave. "But if there must be a dangerous madman about," she said, "I'm glad he's on my side." She gave him one last wink and took off running toward her tent.

_Idiot_, her brain told her. _How could you fall for a creep like that? You know what's gonna happen when he finds out..._

She reached her tent and tore it open, flopping onto her stomach with a groan. She buried her face in her pillow and grumbled insults at herself. _Stupid! You're just a freak. He's never gonna accept you._

_Just focus on Miriel_, she eventually began telling herself. _She'll accept you_. _She has to_.

Another tremendous, frustrated groan escaped her, and she flailed her arms and legs about in frustration. She couldn't hold back her erection any longer; it was beginning to hurt as it tried and failed to stand at attention from beneath its cloth prison.

She stood up, closed her tent, and fell back to her blanket with a _foomp_. She lay on her back, her heavy armor pulling her to the ground, and began undoing her greaves. This was a long process, and she knew it was a bad idea to do it before camp had officially retired for the night, but, right now, it was an even worse idea _not_ to address her stiffening member. She slid off her greaves, her stockings, her belt, and her smallclothes, until all that was left was a white bandage wrapped tightly around her pelvis. She reached her hand into this cloth, barely fitting three fingers underneath its tight constraints. She bit her tongue as she slowly, carefully pulled her penis out over the top of her bandages. It sprang to life as it flopped out of her tight waistband, entering the room like its own person, falling against her thigh with a soft _whap_.

Sully had no idea how her equipment stacked up to another man's; besides her own, she'd never seen one in person. But she often wondered, if every man's penis was this long, how in the world did they wear smallclothes or loincloths without binding it the way she did? How did they ride horses without lifting it out of the way? It had to be murderous!

She sighed through pursed lips and ran her fingers through her short, curly pubic hair, pushing her makeshift loincloth down past her wet, puffy labia and firm, tanned thighs. A small purr escaped her lips; she coiled her left thumb and index finger around the base of her shaft and dipped her pinky and ring finger into her slit. This was a terrible, terrible idea; Risen could attack the camp at any moment, and if Chrom or Robin or whoever decided to fling open the side of her tent right now, they'd have an eyeful of cock waiting for them...

But she didn't especially care. She pumped her fist up and down her shaft, dipping her extended fingers into her slit with each motion. She went at this for a good few minutes, getting a good rhythm going; every few dozen pumps, she'd stop for a moment and tickle her labia and clitoris with her fingers, all while keeping her thumb and forefinger tightly coiled around her shaft.

Soon enough, she could feel pressure building deep inside of herself; she inhaled a sharp gasp and bit her lip as a silhouette slowly approached her tent. She froze, not sure what to do, forgetting to even breath for a moment. The unmistakable pointy hat on the silhouette told her it belonged to Miriel.

"Greetings once more, Sully," she said, from the other side. "May I enter?"

Sully's heartbeat was racing now, and she could even feel it in her hand, her dick throbbing in perfect sync. "No," she said.

She couldn't see inside the tent, right? There's no way she could know what was happening. No, there was no light source inside the tent... Sully couldn't have been casting a shadow, so... she was safe, right?

_Please Miriel, don't open that flap..._

"Very well," said Miriel, giving a small curtsy. "I meant to inquire about something related to the study you proposed. But, another time."

It slowly dawned on Sully that she had resumed jerking herself off. Why in the world would she do that? Miriel could probably hear her!

"Okay," she said, biting her lip. "See you later..."

She shoved two of the knuckles on her free hand into her mouth as long, thick ropes of cum burst forth from the tip of her penis, staining the grass. Miriel's silhouette disappeared from view and Sully breathed a deep sigh of relief. She smeared her release into the grass with her foot and began putting her equipment back on.

A few days went by and a few hordes of Risen came and went, but Miriel never got around to asking that question. Nervous, Sully sought her ought in the barracks again.

"Hey-ho, Miriel," she said, putting on a false bravado. "How's the research project going?"

"I have many projects underway," said Miriel, not looking up from her desk. Her tone of voice was a bit dismissive, and Sully couldn't help but frown. _Did she see? Does she hate me?_

"But I assume you refer to your personality study."

Sully noticed she was running something between her fingers; a small, shiny object... a ring? She seemed distracted - absorbed by it. Sully tried to get a better look at it, but Miriel suddenly tucked it into her belt, as if she could feel the cavalier's gaze burning into it. Finally, the mage stood up and looked at her, pushing up her glasses. "Since we talked, I have been observing you with fierce scientific rigor."

Sully pursed her lips, taken aback. "Wait, really?" She thought back to the battles of the last few days, but she couldn't really recall Miriel hanging over her shoulder or anything. "I didn't even notice," she said.

"If the subject is aware of the observation, the results would be compromised," said Miriel. "It was vital that I observe you in your natural habitat."

A small giggle escaped Sully, and she scratched the back of her head. "Oh yeah?" she laughed. Miriel was full of surprises, all right. "So? Any conclusions?"

Miriel closed her eyes and collected her thoughts. "During the observation phase," she said, "two main points came to my attention."

Uh-oh. Sully gulped down a nervous breath. A thick silence came over the room. The suspense was killing her. She winced, furrowing her brow and closing one eye. "...Well what the hell are they already?!"

Her cry echoed off the walls of the barracks, and she instantly knew she had poured just a bit too much volume into her inquiry.

Miriel opened her eyes and offered Sully a fiery, intense gaze. "The first is your language," she said. "The second is your general bearing."

In spite of herself, Sully breathed a sigh of relief. She still couldn't decide if she wanted Miriel to address her... extra equipment or not, but for now she decided it was best not to press the issue.

"You mean the way I walk and talk and crap like that?"

Miriel nodded. "Your clothing and armor are unexceptional and fit within Shepherd social norms," she said. "However, your use of language - especially vulgarity - is quite irregular."

Sully rolled her eyes. That was a bit of a low blow. She opened her mouth to speak, but apparently Miriel wasn't finished. "Also," she said, "You tend to carry yourself in a very aggressive manner."

Sully crossed her arms and sighed. "O-kay," she said. She'd heard this a hundred times, and it wasn't at all what she was hoping this study would reveal.

Miriel sat back down a the small desk and flipped open a tome. "If you wish to fit in with others," she said, "I would recommend change in these two areas."

Sully bared her teeth. Was that it? There had to be more to Miriel than that! "Aw, come on! That's horse sh... plop!"

Surprised, Miriel looked back up from her book and put on a smug little grin. "I assure you, my conclusions were reached via scientifically proven methods," she said.

"I've had people tell me this before," groaned Sully. "'You have to do this!' 'You gotta act like that!'" She hunched over a bit, pulling her elbows in and curling her hands into fists, channeling righteous energy. "It never works! I pretend for a week or so and then just give it up."

Miriel pushed up her glasses and squinted slightly, looking like her interest was piqued.

"Who says we all have to act the same, anyway? Who made all these damn rules?"

"I believe they are based on social mores, as opposed to a natural law," said Miriel.

Sully shook her head and sighed. "Well, hell," she said, laying one hand on her forehead. "I'm gonna have to think on this one for a bit."

That had not gone as well as she had hoped. She wasn't so sure anymore that Miriel was the one who would finally accept her; hearing "act more like a lady" yet _again_, _especially_ from her, was a crushing blow. "Thanks for doing the observation stuff," she said, defeated. "Hope I didn't waste your time."

"Not at all," said Miriel, offering her a smile. "It was quite fascinating."

A few more days passed. Sully was not herself, and much of the camp took notice. She spent a lot of time curled up in her tent, cut off from the rest of the Shepherds. When she did briefly interact with them, be it in battle or at dinner, she offered nothing more than terse, one-word responses. She met Robin's orders with nothing more than a "Sure," or a "Right," and Virion's flowery greetings with only a "Hey," or an affirmative grunt.

In the afternoon, nearing the end of a battle, she spotted one of those slimy, amorphous Risen slithering towards Miriel. The pale mage was polishing her glasses with her robe; she didn't see it coming!

Sully cracked the reins on her horse, galloping toward the scene. The puddle took humanoid shape and reared back its claws. Miriel sure saw it now; she let out a half-gasp, half-scream, nearly toppling over backwards. At the last second, Sully batted away the monster's claws with her spear, letting a loud _clang_ ring out through the battlefield. "Watch it!"

Miriel put on her glasses and opened her tome, letting the wind blow its pages open until she found the spell she was looking for. She whirled around, pressed her middle finger against the hinge of her glasses, and held out her palm. At least a dozen rings of fire appeared in the air around her, orbiting her head, waist, arm, and hand. The wisps of flame took the shape of ancient characters, writing an illegible message in the air. She narrowed her eyes and mouth into an intimidating snarl and said, "Begone, foul miscreation!"

The Risen doubled over from the concussive force of an enormous fireball; its flesh was charred, its limbs were blackened, and its stance was noticeably weakened, but it still managed to stand, hissing in pain.

"My turn," said Sully, galloping toward the beast. With one powerful thrust of her spear, she sliced the creature clean in two, letting its burnt pieces shrivel and dissolve into the grass.

Miriel gave a deep curtsy to show her gratitude. "Very gracious of you," she said.

"Yeah," said Sully, avoiding eye contact. "Don't worry about it." She galloped off toward the rest of the camp, leaving Miriel alone.

When the battle was won, she hitched her horse and retired to her tent yet again, without so much as a word.

Around dinner time, she saw a silhouette approaching her tent. She sat up and crossed her arms. "Who's there?"

"It's Robin," said the silhouette. "May I... come in?"

Sully rolled her eyes and sighed. "I guess. What do you want?"

Robin opened the tent and walked inside, wearing a concerned smile. "Are you all right? You haven't seemed yourself for the past few days."

"It's none of your damn business," she said, standing up. "And I don't know what you're talking about. Didn't I do great in battle today? I saved your little girlfriend, didn't I?"

"You did," he said, hanging his head. Sully blinked a few times, a bit taken aback. She'd expected her comment to get him all flustered, but it seemed like it just rolled right off of him. Maybe there really was something between those two...

"But," he stammered, "You're not usually..." He shook his head and sighed. "Look, Sully, we're all worried about you. You can be gruff sometimes, sure, but you're usually amicable. What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," she growled. "Is dinner ready, or what?"

"Is this about..."

She leaned in and pressed her forehead to his, putting on her best snarl. "About _what?_"

He stood up straighter and raised his chin, meeting her gaze. "Is it about the conversation we had last week? About your... muscle mass being down? Because-"

"Ugh..." Sully leaned back and rolled her eyes. "No, you dolt... I told you, I'm _fine_. I don't wanna talk about it, all right?"

"All right," said Robin. "If you don't want to talk about it, you certainly don't have to. But... won't you at least come and eat?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there in a few. Go on ahead."

He nodded and stepped out of the tent. She sighed and pinched her nose, feeling a little guilty. "Thanks, Robin," she said,

Robin let out a chuckle and nodded again. She stood there for a minute and watched him walk off toward the mess hall. When he had dipped out of sight, she scratched the back of her head and shrugged, stepping outside and making her way out into camp herself.

She sat down in the mess hall and had a quick bite to eat. She offered a few more monosyllabic responses to her fellow Shepherds and dashed off back to her tent. On the way, she saw Miriel coming towards her, carrying a bucket of water. She immediately averted her gaze, but the egghead was having none of it. "Ah, Sully," she said, setting the bucket down on the grass. "Might I have a moment?"

Sully sighed and looked her friend in the eyes. There was no escape. "What's up, Miriel?"

"Have you considered enacting my suggestions from our recent conversation?"

Putting her hands on her hips, Sully shifted her weight and squinted in Miriel's direction. "You mean about the way I speak and behave and all that?" She pursed her lips and laid her head to one side. "Yeah, I've thought about it plenty," she said, "But I still don't know what to do..."

"I wonder, then, if you might care to participate in a small experiment?"

Huh? Sully raised her nose and puckered her cheeks, looking like she'd just smelled something foul. What was this all about? Her interest captured, she turned her head slightly and shot Miriel an inquisitive glance. "It doesn't involve rats, does it? Can't stand those things..."

"Nothing so crude, I promise," said Miriel. She opened the tome tucked under her arm and gestured toward a pile of sticks laying in a patch of dirt where the grass and rocks had been cleared away - by Frederick, most likely. "First," she said, "I am going to ignite this pile of dry twigs..."

She held out her palm, and just like before, rings of flaming characters materialized all around Miriel. A tiny fireball flew from her hands and lit the twigs ablaze, setting a small campfire.

Sully winced, a bead of sweat rolling down her face. What in the world was this girl up to? "Oh-kay," she said, doing her best to hide the confusion in her voice. "And?"

"Now then," said Miriel, "Suppose you need to extinguish this fire. How would you do it?"

Sully looked down at the bucket of water that Miriel had set at her feet. Was this some kind of trick?

"You are allowed to use anything you see around you."

"Er," said Sully, afraid that the answer was too obvious. She tried to shake the cobwebs out of her head. "I guess I'd use that bucket of water," she said. She stepped toward Miriel and bent down to pick it up.

"You would pour water on the fire?"

Sully blinked a few times. She decided to call Miriel's bluff, and let out a confident chuckle. "Well sure," she said. "Water on fire, fire goes out, right?"

"Very well," Miriel said. "Please go ahead."

With a flourish and a violent grunt, Sully threw the bucket's contents on the flames. "Ha!" There was something... cathartic about such a motion, and, very pleased with herself, she spoke the words, "See you in hell, fire!" before she even knew what she was saying.

The clear liquid soaked the twigs with a wet _sploosh_, but to her great surprise, the flames didn't go out. Instead, they only roared and exploded, soaring to heights even taller than Sully herself. "WHOA!" She dropped the bucket and stumbled backwards, feeling sweat coming out of her pores. Her knees shaking and her voice trembling, she looked to Miriel, who was as stone-faced as ever. "That made the fire twice as big!"

Miriel just smiled.

"What the heck did you do?!"

Miriel closed her eyes while the flames roared, casting her face in an orange glow. "Permit me to clarify," she said. "The fluid in the bucket is a substance commonly known as 'kindling water.' It is a mysterious liquid that emerges from the ground near distant mountains."

A pained grunt escaped Sully. She'd been had!

"_Kindling water_?"

"Just now," said Miriel, "You made the assumption that water always douses fire. However, you failed to consider that there may be different kinds of water."

Sully blinked a few times as the gears began to turn in her head.

"It may also interest you to know," Miriel went on, "that people who live near kindling water find it useful."

A smile broke across Sully's face for the first time in days. "I get it," she said. "...It's different than regular water, but it's still useful to some folks."

Miriel nodded, offering her friend a wide smile of her own.

"...And people who are different may still have useful roles to play," said Sully.

"Precisely," said Miriel. She gave one of her famous curtsies and pushed up her glasses. "My research indicates that you should be happy just the way you are."

Sully bit her lip and giggled through her nose. "Heh..." She was so relieved... the knot in her stomach that had been eating away at her for the past few days was undone almost immediately. "Thanks for the pep talk, Miriel," she said, taking in a sniff. "I feel better already."

They smiled at each other for a moment, Sully pausing to blink a single tear out of her eye. It seemed like Miriel really did understand.

"Although, I do still have one question," said Sully.

"Yes?"

Sully bared her teeth and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. "How the hell are you planning on putting out this fire?!"

Miriel ran her fingers across her own forehead, feeling the heat of the tall flames. After a lengthy silence, a defeated grunt left her. "Perhaps I should have prepared a second bucket of common water..."

They spent the next ten or fifteen minutes running all over camp, scrambling for buckets of water and wind tomes to put the fire out. In that time, it had spread from the dirt patch and was engulfing some of the grass, so this proved to be more difficult than it seemed. As they scurried about, they certainly caught some weird looks from the Shepherds that had finished eating already; two of them, Vaike and Ricken, even ran to help, but Sully eventually shooed them off, frustrated that they kept getting in her way.

When she and Miriel had finally doused the flames, they sat there on the scorched grass and desperately tried to catch their breath.

"I think I need a bath, after that," Sully groaned, rubbing the back of her wrist against her sweaty forehead. When she pulled it back, she noticed it was stained with gray soot. She rustled her curly hair and could see dust and soot floating into the night air.

"Allow me to join you," said Miriel. She took off her glasses and rubbed her knuckle against her eyelid, trying to blink out a bead of sweat.

Sully winced. She could feel words dying in her throat. "Er... that's all right, Miriel."

"Please, I insist," she said. "It will allow me an even better chance to study you. You've nothing to be ashamed of. After all, we are both female, are we not?"

_Oh, that was below the belt!_

Sully pinched the bridge of her nose, not sure what to say.

_This is the chance you've been waiting for! Go for it!_

_No! Don't be crazy! What will she say?!_

_She'll accept you. She has to._

_But how could she? Who could accept you?_

_But what if-_

"All right," she said, silencing the voices in her head. Her knees were shaking and her tongue was drying out, but she had made up her mind. She and Miriel made their way to the women's bath, drawing the same odd looks from the same peers that had watched them scurry to put out that fire. She clenched her fist and bit her tongue; she was a wreck. She just wanted to shrivel up and die. But she put on a good show, not slouching or breaking her stride in the slightest. She glanced over her shoulder at Miriel, who seemed more upright and self-assured than anyone she'd ever seen. This girl just didn't _give _a damn. It didn't even seem like she'd noticed the weird looks they were getting. Sully found herself wishing she could do that.

They flipped the "occupied" sign over as they stepped into the bath and both of them stripped down to their smallclothes, Sully carefully eyeing Miriel the whole way. The mage looked her straight in the nose the entire time, only breaking her gaze to blink. Within her head, Sully called the voices for help, wondering how she should go about revealing her...condition.

There was no answer.

So, rather than preface its introduction with a "Can you keep a secret?" or a "Don't freak out," she simply undid her bindings and let her flaccid penis dangle between her thighs.

Miriel wasn't fazed at all. Her eyes darted south to look at it, but she didn't wince or gasp or even blink. After a few seconds of scrutiny, her gaze returned to Sully's face like nothing had happened.

Sully sucked in her cheeks and raised her eyebrows. She kind of wished Miriel would at least react; it would have made this awkward silence a little more tolerable.

Getting nothing, she cleared her throat and walked briskly past Miriel, dipping her lower half into the shallow bath water. She sat down on the bottom of the bath, leaving her arms at her sides, resting on the lip of the bath pit.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Was this going well or horribly? When she heard Miriel's footsteps rounding the bath, she opened one eye and slowly turned red as she followed the girl's pale legs up to her plush, red pubic hair. The mage sat down on the edge of the bath, dipping her ankles into the water, and put her hands on her knees; she had left her hat on, for some reason, and her thighs spread wide open, and Sully couldn't help but stare into her crotch. She had long, straight, beautifully kempt pubic hair, not at all like the curly, sweaty, tangled mess that Sully hid beneath her own smallclothes. Beneath the water, the tanned warrior could feel her penis twitching.

"Uh, Miriel," she said, her voice trembling. She found an interesting spot on the ceiling to look at. "That's not very lady-like..."

"I beg your pardon," said Miriel. "I am well aware that holding such a pose is considered crass, but I am currently conducting an experiment, so please, bear with me."

"What experiment," laughed Sully. "What are you talking about?"

"You seem unwilling to lay your eyes on my pubic region."

"Ggh!"

Sully's eyes nearly burst from her head.

"Tell me," said Miriel, "Is it because social mores perceive such an act as impolite?"

"Erm," said Sully, still trying to make sense of this whole discussion. "Well, I-"

"Because," said Miriel, "We have just previously established that not all social mores must be obeyed to the letter."

Sully rolled her eyes. "It's not that," she said, "It's just-"

"You find my vulva repulsive?"

"N... No! That's not it at all! Dammit, Miriel, will you just let me-"

Miriel crossed her legs, finally, and pushed up her glasses. She narrowed her eyes and put on a wry grin. "You find it arousing, then?"

Sully released a frustrated scream and stood up, letting water trickle down her. With her brow furrowed, the corners of her mouth pulled into a frown, and her cheeks bright red, she finally got Miriel to change her expression to a look of concern. "This is why," said Sully, pain hanging from her voice. "This is why I don't wanna look at you naked, all right?"

Her pink, throbbing erection stood at full mast, looming out at Miriel like a cannon as tiny drops of water fell from it.

"I'm sure you've noticed... that I'm not like other women."

"Indeed," said Miriel. She stared at Sully's narrow cock with intense interest, seeming to devour it with her eyes. "I also notice that you are, as I surmised, aroused by my nude form."

Sully choked back tears. "Doesn't this... _bother_ you?!"

"Why should it?"

There was no fighting back the tears anymore, and Sully let them stream down her face, blubbering like a child. "Because it's... not normal..."

Miriel closed her eyes. "Nor are you," she said. "Nor is Kellam's habit of vanishing from sight. Nor Cherche's apparent ability to speak with Minerva, or Robin's mysterious origins... And, regrettably, my keen scientific curiosity could be deemed abnormal, as well. Some of the most beautiful and fascinating secrets of the world are abnormal... In fact, many of them could only hold such interest _because_ of their abnormalities."

Sully took in a deep sniff and ran her forearm across her face, wiping off snot and tears. "Th...Thank you," she said. "Dammit, Miriel, ya made me cry... I've been wanting to tell somebody for... for so long, and-"

"Hold a moment," said Miriel, removing her hat. She dug around inside it for something.

Sully was taken aback. Did she say too much?

Miriel produced a small strap of leather from the depths of the hat. "Before your erection wanes," she said, "I wonder if you might permit me to measure it?"

"...Measure it?"

"Yes," said Miriel. She laid her hat down on the floor and waded into the bath, kneeling down to get a closer look at Sully's equipment. "I have been compiling approximate data on our peers... penile length, girth, bust size, waist size, hip size, muscle mass, fat distribution, amount of pubic hair... among other criteria. I have not had many opportunities to measure exact data, so your cooperation would be most appreciated."

"Uh... go for it," said Sully, her penis twitching under such scrutiny.

Without another word, Miriel lifted Sully's member and pulled the strap of leather taut against the bottom of it. Sully felt her knees buckle; Miriel's fingers were so soft, and so warm, at least compared to the frigid droplets of water that still hung from her equipment. It occurred to her that this was the first time her penis had ever been touched by another person. It was a bit anti-climactic, though, since Miriel was being so clinical about it. She eyed the strap of leather carefully, reading numbers that were stitched into it. "22.1 centimeters," she said, "Nothing short of astounding."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean precisely what I say," said Miriel. "The length of your penis puts the vast majority of men in our camp to shame. Yours is nearly 10 centimeters longer than the camp's mean length."

"Wh..._what?!_" Sully put both hands on the sides of her head, running her fingers through her hair. "_That big_?! There's no way that can be right!"

"I assure you," laughed Miriel, "You are enormously gifted."

Sully winced. She wasn't sure whether to be proud or ashamed of that fact.

Miriel wrapped the leather strap around Sully's shaft and pulled it tight, reading the slack. "Your girth is less impressive, at only 12.0 centimeters, slightly less than average. Still, your sheer length more than makes up for such shortcomings."

"Wh...where are you getting these 'averages' from? Who else have you measured?"

"I have carefully observed all of our peers in the bath," said Miriel. "And I have formed rough approximations of each of them, but I have only had the opportunity to precisely measure Vaike and Donnel, thus far."

"Wait," said Sully, closing her eyes. "You've... 'observed'... _all_ of us?"

"That is correct."

"Even...me?"

"Yes."

Sully bit her lip. "Then... you _knew_?!"

She had been so careful to bathe only at odd hours of the night, and only with all the lights in the bath blown out. She had been so sure that nobody could have seen her...

"I had my suspicions," said Miriel, sliding her glasses up her face. "Though your shadows were not easy to make out in perfect darkness."

Sully was furious at being spied on, but she couldn't help but laugh. Of anyone in camp, Miriel had to be the _last_ one she'd expect to be a peeping tom! But at the same time... If anyone in camp was going to see her naked, even in a pitch black room, she was kind of glad that it was Miriel rather than somebody more likely to freak out. "How do you make time to spy on everybody in the bath," she laughed. "We're fighting a _war_, you know!"

"All the more reason to compile as much data as possible," said Miriel. "This particular ongoing study is but one of several I have been conducting. Gods forbid it, but should the Ylissean knights be eradicated, my writings are the only thing that will carry our legacy. Much as it pains me to admit, Sully, we potentially face a much greater loss than the lives of those dear to us; should we fall in battle, the sum of Ylissean knowledge may be lost to future generations forever. That is precisely why I go about my research with such inclemency."

Sully's eyes went wide and she took a moment to process what Miriel was saying. "Wow," she finally said, scratching behind her head. "That's... pretty deep, Mir'." A soft chuckle escaped her. "That's definitely the best reason to measure dicks that I've ever heard."

Miriel help up the strap and smiled. "Among other criteria," she said. "Lift your arms, please."

Obeying Miriel's command, Sully raised her arms and winced as Miriel slipped the strap behind her back and pulled it tightly across her breasts. The pale mage had to lean forward a bit just to reach her tanned friend without coming in contact with her erection; it was still looming out in space, twitching as Miriel carefully measured Sully's bust and waist. When she came to do the hips, Miriel had to brush her fingers across it once again, pressing it down between Sully's thighs. In spite of herself, she let out a shrill squeal as she felt her glans brush against her tender, swollen labia. Her face quickly went bright red.

"What is the matter?"

"Nothing," said Sully, growing short of breath. "You just..."

"Hmm," said Miriel, not paying much attention. "Your bust, waist, and hips are all just slightly above the camp's projected mean. In addition, your muscle mass seems to be..."

Sully bit her lip. She hadn't even heard whatever her friend had just said. She could feel her own juices running down her thighs. "Uh, Miriel," she said. "Could you... take your hand off my dick, please..."

"Hmm?" The mage looked to Sully's strained face. "Ah, yes. My apologies." She let go, and Sully's monster sprang back up, a small bead of precum forming on its tip. "Curious," said Miriel, bending down to get a closer look at it. "Is it that sensitive?"

"Well, yeah... But... you were also rubbin' it against my..."

"Ah, yes, of course," said Miriel, clearing her throat. "I see. Forgive me. Having two erogenous zones in such close proximity must be quite an encumbrance." She slid her glasses up her nose and turned, making her way toward her hat. She pulled a quill and a small stack of parchment from the depths of her pointy hat and scribbled something down. "Though I imagine it would engender immensely pleasurable masturbatory sessions," she added, not looking up from her parchment.

Sully let out a gasp. "Miriel...! I, uh... I don't know what you're... I mean, I don't..."

"Please," said Miriel, tucking her quill and parchment back into her hat. "Do not patronize me. I have already observed you pleasuring yourself on multiple occasions."

"What?! When?!"

"Nude, in the bath... On your horse, fully clothed... Even, quite recently, in a state of half-undress, inside your tent."

Sully's heart sank. "You... you saw that?!"

"I'm afraid I am unable to substantiate that particular claim with visual confirmation, but based on aural and olfactory clues, I believe I have a good idea of what took place on the other side of that canvas. Your shaking voice, your rustling armor, and the unmistakable scent of semen all pointed to one sound conclusion. Are my deductions incorrect?"

A tremendous sigh filled the room. "No, you're right on," said Sully, shaking her head. "As usual..."

She'd been so worried about Miriel seeing her... She should've known that somebody like Miriel wouldn't need to _see_ her to know what was going on. "Can't a girl have _any_ secrets, Miriel?"

Miriel lifted herself out of the bath, sitting on its ledge again. "I wonder if you would be so kind as to demonstrate for me?"

"E...excuse me?"

"I ask if you would indulge my scientific curiosity," said Miriel, "and allow me to observe you while you masturbate."

Sully's jaw suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. "Wh... Right now?!"

Miriel spread her legs and ran her fingernails through her pubic hair. "If it would make you more comfortable, I would be willing to pleasure myself as well."

_What the hell?!_ _Is she for real?! _Sully squeezed her thighs shut, trying to force her roaring, writhing erection down. "Why the hell do you want to see me... A... are you some kind of pervert or somethin'?"

"I have never met a person with both sexual organs," said Miriel. "I am eager to learn more about your sexuality. What elements of it do you share with traditional women? With traditional men? What elements are unique to your physiology? Which organ is more sensitive, if either of them? Which do you favor, and why? Is each of them fully functional? Assume that you are not the only person in the world with both organs; the answers to these questions might prove to be very useful research, for yourself as well as for others with your condition."

Sully thought long and hard about Miriel's proposal. She had raised a few good points; if there was another girl like her out there somewhere, scared and lonely and... different... well, Sully certainly wished that _she _didn't have to grow up without anybody to explain this tough situation to her. No little girl... or, heck, boy, for that matter, should have to grow up that way. Maybe... maybe she should give Miriel some answers.

Or maybe she was just really horny right now...

Maybe even... a little of both...

A year ago, or, hell, even a _day_ ago... Sully would never have believed you if you'd told her this would be happening someday.

Sitting on the edge of the bath with her fist curled around her shaft, pumping it like a butter churn while Miriel sat across from her and looked on. Sully's pinky curled up into her slit, peeling back her slimy lips.

"Fascinating," said Miriel. Her legs were crossed and her toes were dipped into the water. "You seem to favor your penis," she said. "Is it more sensitive?"

"Not really," said Sully, letting out a sigh. "It's just... I dunno, faster, I guess? Like, it's easier to cum this way..."

"I see," said Miriel. "May I ask why you have not made use of your other hand? Perhaps you could stimulate both organs at once. Does this not appeal to you?"

"No, I've tried it before, it's just... I dunno, it's trickier than it sounds. It gets a little crowded down there..."

Miriel pushed up her glasses. "I see. Would it alleviate this problem if I assisted?"

Sully looked up and thought about that for a moment. Her mind occupied as it was, it took her a good ten seconds or so to fully process what Miriel was saying. It would probably be easier if somebody else helped... Wait, _what_?!

She looked down and tried to open her mouth, but Miriel was already in the water, wading towards her. "Ah," she gasped, "Miriel, what are you- Ahhn!"

The straight-haired girl wrapped her fingers around Sully's shaft, and before the curly-haired girl had time to object, she could feel a warm, wet tongue prodding her clitoris. She took in a deep breath, hissing through clenched teeth, and released a shuddering squeal.

"Miriel!" Her voice was cracking with a blend of laughter, shock, and arousal. "Are you really tryin' to study me, or did you just want to..."

"Forgive me," said Miriel, sliding her fist up and down Sully's phallus. She licked slime from her lips and let out a sequence of short breaths through her nose. "I'm afraid... this study may have been compromised... My actions seem to be... increasingly dictated by libido, rather than dispassionate intellectual curiosity... An objective observer should never interfere with the subject... but I... I've failed you! "

Sully bit her lip, doing her best to fight back a smile. _So,_ she thought, _even eggheads get horny._

"You haven't failed me," laughed Sully, her breath growing heavy. "Let's just say that you... want to see how I react to outside stimuli... or some crap like that..."

"Very well," said Miriel, her husky voice brimming with newfound resolve. "I shall begin the experiment immediately."

She threw her tongue back into the soft, squishy embrace of Sully's puffy labia. Sully never could have imagined such pleasure; the wet, writhing tongue that painted her insides with saliva was a far cry from her stiff, battle-hardened fingers. That, coupled with Miriel's soft fingers stubbornly refusing to stop churning her shaft, left her already feeling a faint, warm tingling spreading through her hips.

"Gods be damned," she said, exhaling through pursed lips. "Miriel... have you done this before?!"

"Mmph mmph mm, wmph ymph mmph-"

"Oh, honey, I can't hear a damn thing you're sayin'..."

Miriel withdrew her tongue with an audible "Pwah" and a visible string of juices trailed from her chin. "I have not," said Miriel, replacing her tongue with a few of her fingers. "Though, I do have experience as the recipient of this particular act."

Sully's back and shoulders arched and her neck shivered. "No shit...? When?"

"I inherited my insatiable thirst for knowledge from my mother," said Miriel. "As I grew older, my budding sexuality was a source of particular interest for her..."

Through clenched teeth, Sully let out a half-gasp, half-growl. "No way... You didn't..."

Miriel nodded, giving Sully's clitoris a brief lick. "I did willingly submit myself to her studies, yes... Cunnilingus was but one of several acts she regularly performed on me. She was quite adept... I can only hope to emulate her technique."

"Fucking hell... With your own mom...?!"

"We were each well aware of the consequences... that polite society frowns on such incestuous encounters... But I was happy to aid in her research, and she was eager to bond with her daughter, to cultivate within me an interest and acceptance of my own sexuality... and to do so in a safe, welcoming environment... I eagerly anticipate the day when I might set such an example for my own children."

A frustrated sigh escaped Sully. "Shit, Miriel... you're gettin' all deep on me again... Just go back to eatin' me out, will ya? I'm... so close..."

"Yes, of course," said Miriel. She pulled her fingers out of Sully's sopping embrace and complied, parting the pair of engorged lips with her tongue. Despite her lack of experience, it seemed Miriel's mother had taught her well, molding her into quite the cunning linguist in her own right. Her tongue was like a bucket in Sully's well, dipping into the waters and hauling up nervous twitches and flutters and squeals and moans. All throughout, Miriel's dexterous fingers never unraveled from the long, turgid beast of a phallus that sat above Sully's folds, looming toward the sky like a castle keep. She continued pumping its length in her fist, finding a rigid, mechanical rhythm that served as a potent counterpoint to the more diffuse, improvisational swaying of her tongue. There was a slight smoky flavor to Sully's flower, likely held over from the fire as sweat and soot ran down her firm body. As she drank in this unique taste, Miriel seemed unable to silence her _slurps_ and _smacks_ and moans, which Sully was especially grateful for; the increasingly lewd noises spilling out of the scene only got her more and more aroused. In no time, she could feel herself standing at the edge

"Augh... Miriel, I'm... I'm gonna cum..."

"Proceed."

"No, no," Sully groaned, "You don't understand... these two... are a package deal... It's gonna be... messy..."

"Ah, I see," said Miriel, clearing her throat. "Very well." She opened her wet mouth and slid as much of Sully's cock as she could manage into her throat.

Sully paid her back with a hot gasp. "Ah! That's... not what I... meant...!"

Miriel voiced no response. She simply continued to feast, filling the bath with loud, potent slurps and moans. Sully fought as hard as she could, feeling her mind melt away, wanting to savor the warm, wet embrace of Miriel's lips for as long as possible. But she was no match; she curled her hands into fists, digging her fingernails into her palms. She released one final gasp and felt her whole body clench, firing a massive wad deep into her friend's throat. Miriel seemed to take it quite well, until a second spurt began filling her and she was forced to withdraw. Gagging and sputtering as sticky white goop spilled out of her cheeks, she was noticeably shaken when yet a third rope of the stuff fell on her glasses and nose with a quiet _plap_. She removed her glasses and with a sigh as Sully lay there, catching her breath. Suddenly, without warning, the Amazon sat up, startling Miriel. The mage could barely see without her glasses, but she released a muffled gasp as she felt Sully's strong, leathered arms wrap around her. Sully parted Miriel's lips with her tongue, tasting her own semen out of Miriel's mouth. If her eyes had been open, she might have seen Miriel's pupils dilate and a deep crimson spread across her pale skin.

"Thank you," she said, holding Miriel's head in her hands. She rest her forehead on Miriel's own, stared into her big, brown eyes, and smiled. "Thank you. I really needed that."

Miriel swallowed and released a nervous gasp. "You are... most welcome," she said.

"Sorry... about your glasses."

"There is no need to apologize."

Sully smiled a bizarre half-grin and took Miriel's wrist in her hand, putting the girl's glasses back on her face so she could get a good look at their new decorative glob of spunk. "You know," she said, "That's a good look for you."

Miriel furrowed her brow and pulled the glasses back off. "All the same," she said, a hint of a growl hanging from her voice, "I would prefer my vision unimpaired. " She stood up, still carefully pinching her frames between her fingers, and made her way over to the towel rack. "Hold a moment."

Sully couldn't help but stare at Miriel's swaying hips as she walked away. "Damn," she said, biting her lip. "You know, the way you dress, I never really noticed, but... You got a hell of an ass, Miriel."

Miriel looked over her shoulder and shot her friend a wry grin. She made a big show of bending over to take a towel from the very bottom of the rack. She couldn't see Sully's face, but she could certainly hear the pained "Mmm..." that her friend released.

"By my estimates," she said, polishing her lenses with a towel. "My hips are the widest in camp. A distinction I take particular pride in."

"I don't blame you," said Sully. Without really thinking, she took her stiffening penis in her fist and started pumping it back to life. "I could watch you walk away from me all day..."

Miriel let out a small chuckle and returned her glasses to her face. "I prefer to be the one doing the observing," she said, sitting down in front of Sully.

"Yeah, well... aren't you curious what, uh... physical signs of arousal I'll show when presented with such... exciting visual stimuli? Or some crap like that?"

"Are you truly so aroused by my posterior? That even so soon after climax, you are powerless to resume autoeroticism?"

"I don't know what the hell that means," Sully said, "But... yeah, I'm definitely aroused... A little... too much, in fact... Nggh... Miriel," she said, stroking her dick. "There's no way this thing is gonna quiet down, now... I... I gotta fuck you... Please... Can I?"

Blood rushed to Miriel's cheeks, and her eyes flew open. She opened her mouth to speak, but it was a good few seconds before any words came out. "...I have no objections, but..."

Sully leaned forward, pushing Miriel to the floor. Her pink head brushed against Miriel's soft, wet hood, sending a bolt of lightning throughout both of them. A shrill squeal of delight filled the room.

Suddenly, Miriel held out her palms and pushed hard on Sully's collarbone. "Ah! H... hold a moment!"

Sully winced and froze in her tracks. Did she go too far?

"I am happy to oblige your sexual advances but, please..." She lifted her legs, wrapping her arms around the back ofher knees. "Make use of my anal orifice, instead..."

Sully raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Saving yourself, huh? I can respect that."

"I thank you," said Miriel, breathing a sigh of relief. "Please, do not misinterpret my request as implying that you are unworthy of being my first... Far from it. However, I..."

"Say no more," said Sully, wearing a kind smile. "Who's the lucky guy?"

A sharp twitch wracked the girl, and she turned a deep crimson. "Ngh! N... Nobody in particular..."

Sully licked two of her fingers and slid them into Miriel's backdoor, craning them deep inside of her, drawing out warm, shuddering gasps. "Horse shit," she said. "You've got somebody in mind. C'mon, you can tell me."

"I... I only have my future husband in mind... I cannot anticipate whom that might be..."

"All right, fine," said Sully, rolling her eyes. "If you don't wanna tell me, you don't have to." She withdrew her fingers and laid her palms on the floor. Hovering over her, staring into her nervous eyes, she pressed her sensitive tip against Miriel's pink asshole. "But I'm going in now, all right?"

"Please, proceed," said Miriel, her voice trembling with anticipation.

"This might be a little tight, so, just tell me if you want me to stop, all right?"

"Your concern is appreciated, but hardly necessary. Your penis should be sufficiently lubricated with your semen and my own saliva. When you have adequately steeled yourself... don't hesitate."

Sully licked her lips. "If you say so..."

She spread Miriel's cheeks apart and tentatively forced her head inside. It was incredibly tight, and she went very slowly, paying careful attention to Miriel's grimacing face. She wanted so badly to be gentle, to make this as painless as possible, but the feel of such a fierce grip on the tip of her penis made her drunk enough to forget the world. "Miriel," she said, breathing heavily. "It's... so... tight...!"

"Please," said Miriel, gritting her teeth. "Continue... You are nearly there..."

Sully felt a bead of her own drool drip onto her breast, and in that instant, she lost herself. She opened her eyes and mouth wide, let out a shrill, gravelly, "Orryyaaa!" and plunged herself clean into the hilt.

Miriel's spine arched and her thighs twitched; she let out a long, loud, shrill scream of obvious discomfort, and Sully immediately felt immensely guilty.

"You okay?!"

Miriel curled her fingers into fists and threw back her head. "Ngh... That was... significantly more painful than I anticipated... But... Fear not... I am... fine...!"

"Sorry," said Sully, feeling lower than dirt. "I'm... really, really sorry... Let me pull out..."

In a flash, Miriel coiled her legs around Sully's hips, preventing her from withdrawing. "No! Not now! I promise you, my condition is perfectly satisfactory...! The initial act of penetration was... exceptionally painful, yes, but... the sensation subsided rapidly, and presently all I am able to feel is relief... Not unlike the aftermath of an especially large bowel movement..."

Sully closed her eyes tight and winced. "Not really setting the mood, here, hon'..."

"A-Apologies," said Miriel. "I realize that the mental imagery associated with such an analogy is generally unwelcome during coitus..."

"It's all right," said Sully, rolling her eyes. She withdrew her erection a bit and began building up a slow, gentle rhythm, letting out tiny, anguished grunts as she forced her length back into Miriel's behind. "Y'know," she said, "I was kinda hoping I'd finally get to see you break down and start swearin' up a storm like a country girl. But, honestly... It's kinda cute how, even with a dick inside you, you still talk like an egghead."

"This is simply... the manner in which I prefer to express myself," Miriel said. "But if you find it inappropriate for this context, perhaps I should-"

"No, no," said Sully. She put on a grin and giggled. "You're fine. Y'know, it's like you said about the kindling water... It may seem weird, at first, but... That doesn't mean it can't have its uses, too. Like I said... It's cute."

They shared a smile and a silence crept over them, punctuated only by their soft breath. Sully let out a long, wistful sigh; the tight embrace of Miriel's warm, clenched behind was quickly getting to her. Her member twitched and chafed as Miriel built up a slow, but powerful rhythm of pelvic thrusts, gritting her teeth as her own breath grew heavier.

"Besides," Sully said, letting out a small giggle, "I kinda like knowin'... that this is the real you, y'know? You really got nothin' to hide... I've always... admired you for that. You don't make any excuses for who you are, or how you talk, or... how you see the world. I've always... envied that about you."

A hot gasp escaped Miriel's throat, and she turned a slightly darker shade of pink. "Y...You flatter me," she said. "I can attest, there is nary a woman in camp who does not envy your strength..."

Sully laughed. "Yeah, well" she said, "I think there's nary a _man_ who doesn't envy my strength."

"Yes, of course..."

They had a good rhythm building now, and Sully couldn't help but sink her fingers into Miriel's breasts. She'd never been a gentle touch, and after a dozen or so hard squeezes and low moans, she caught herself and lightened her grip a bit. "These are nice," she said, immediately wishing she could have thought of a more eloquent way of saying it. She added a short, "Real nice," before realizing that she hadn't really improved upon herself.

"Thank you," said Miriel. She reach up and took Sully's breasts in her own hands, giving them a good squeeze. "Yours are particularly appealing, as well..."

Sully let out a soft coo of delight and ran her fingers down Miriel's stomach and through her soft pubic hair. "I love your hair," she said. "It's so... straight, and... soft..."

She released a sigh and shook her head. Her awkward attempts at romantic banter were getting on her own nerves, so she decided to silence both parties by leaning down and planting a kiss on Miriel's lips. This brought their breasts in contact with each other, which was a pleasant bonus. Turned on by this gentle brush of skin, her fingers got a bit more daring and gave up tousling Miriel's pubic hair in favor of exploring her folds. Miriel released a long, reverberating moan into Sully's mouth and hugged her friend tightly against her breast; she could practically feel the individual ridges of the Amazon's fingerprints on her clitoris.

There was something freeing about the kiss they shared; their body language and muffled guttural sounds seemed to have them communicating on a much deeper, more profound level than even their floundering sentences could reach. Miriel locked her ankles behind Sully's rear end, pulling her down to the floor with a moan. Sully took this as instruction to go deeper, and she readily complied, curling two of her fingers deeper into the wet maw that threatened to devour them. Her thumb kept the pressure on Miriel's sensitive pink nub, pushing it and prodding it as more delighted gasps and grunts poured into her mouth. Miriel's eyes were closed now, and welling with tears, and her cheeks, neck, and freckled shoulders were all turning a deeper shade of red. Sully just knew, as if she could hear it being telepathically beamed into her head, that Miriel was nearing clmax. She broke from the kiss and began assaulting the poor girl's face with warm, semen-scented breath. "How's that," she asked.

Miriel bit her lip, which was quite an enticing sight in its own right. "Oh!" she said, "Such luscious felicity swells within me... Each brush of your dexterous fingers, every heave of your taut, twitching penis pulls me nearer and nearer to my release!"

Sully couldn't help but chuckle. She had been so worried that Miriel wouldn't find this half as pleasurable as she did, but seeing the girl enjoying herself this much... well, to call it a "relief" would be an understatement.

"You're really gettin' off to this, huh?"

"Ahh, yes!" said Miriel. "Fill me with your seed, Robin!"

Miriel squealed and clapped her hands over her mouth in horror. Behind her knuckles, behind her glasses, and behind her glistening sweat, Sully could see a deep shade of crimson washing over her friend's face, spilling down her neck onto her pale shoulders and freckled breasts.

The Amazon put on a wry, toothy grin and forced her ring finger into Miriel's dripping slit, letting it join her index and middle fingers, craning them all up towards the surface. Her thumb tickled Miriel's stiff, pink clitoris, drawing out further squeals and even deeper shades of red. She felt her penis twitching, a tingling sensation spreading from the back of her shaft. "I'm almost there , too," she said, gritting her teeth. "Heh... Guess I... don't need to ask you where you want it..."

She could feel Miriel's cheeks clench, gripping her length even more tightly than before. A lusty groan passed Miriel's lips, muffled though it was by her hands. Sully was so _close_, and Miriel had become so _tight_... She withdrew her slimy fingers, laid her palms on the floor and redoubled her efforts, pounding Miriel's anus faster than she had all night. It only took another minute or so of frantic hip gyrations before her twitching penis exploded with warm, thick semen, filling Miriel's already cramped hindquarters with sticky goop. She felt it running down the length of her erection as she slowly pulled out, letting her release dribble out of Miriel's asshole. She moaned with delight and forced her twitching penis back into Miriel's tight embrace, producing a loud, sickening _squelch_, and fired a second, equally large load of hot, sticky cum deep into Miriel's backside. The bookish redhead writhed and wriggled, her thighs twitching as low, lusty moans crawled out from the back of her throat. Sully withdrew her half-erect penis with a soft _plop_ and, much to her surprise, yet a third strand of semen burst forth from her, staining Miriel's stomach and breasts with pearly, translucent gunk. "_Fuck_," she said, sitting back, propping herself up with her arms. She leaned her head back, making her chin and neck into a nearly straight line, and pushed a deep breath through her pursed lips. Her penis continued to twitch, pushing trace amounts of semen out of her. "That's the hardest I ever came in my life... I guess there's just no comparing to the real thing..."

"Indeed," gasped Miriel, "Your input brought me to heights I could never have achieved on my own..."

Sully sat up straight, resting her elbows on her knees. "I'm glad," she said. "I was worried it wasn't gonna be as good for you."

Miriel laboriously propped herself up into a sitting position, still trying to catch her breath. She pushed up her glasses and sighed.

Sully shot her a smile and pulled her right leg out from underneath her, leaning her whole body to the left. "So," she said, laying down on her side. "Robin, huh?"

"A... a thousand pardons," Miriel whispered, blushing furiously. "I know not what came over me..."

Sully closed her eyes and laughed. "I know damn well what came over you," she said. "I just never thought I'd see the day... when ol' egghead Miriel could tear herself away from her studies long enough to get a crush on somebody."

Miriel hung her head, staring at the floor. "I never anticipated it, myself," she said, "But lately... I find myself contemplating him often." She scoffed and slid her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "It has become quite the distraction during my studies," she said, sounding more annoyed than anything else. "In fact, I believe I owe you an apology; the other day, when you came to inquire about the status of my analysis... I fear I may have been a bit terse with you. In truth, my mind was uncharacteristically preoccupied, and I regret that I was not able to give your character study the full attention it deserved."

"Oh yeah?" Sully let out a small chuckle. "That's all right. I could kinda tell you were distracted."

She leaned her cheek on her fist and stared right into Miriel's eyes. When her bookish friend refused to meet her gaze, she took Miriel's chin in her hand and pointed it towards her face. "D'you love him?"

In the silent seconds that followed, Sully carefully studied the quivering eyes hiding behind those thick glasses until, finally, Miriel closed them and cleared her throat. "Love... is the one subject that continues to elude me," she said. "Even to this day, I am confounded by its lack of concrete definition."

Sully rolled her eyes. "Love ain't somethin' that's supposed to have a concrete definition, Mir'. It's just something you feel in your gut."

Miriel looked away. "Regardless," she said, " Until I can more thoroughly comprehend such abstract notions, I can't empirically state my feelings for him... However..."

She crawled over to her clothes, Sully's gaze burning into her swaying hips and fleshy behind. She reached into her belt, and, after a second or two of rustling, she produced a small, shiny object - a ring. The ring from the other day! Did Robin actually propose?!

Miriel wobbled back and sat down on her calves, holding the ring up for Sully to see. It wasn't especially fancy, but it was nonetheless beautiful; a dazzling white gold, with a small, but radiant diamond embedded in it. "I discovered this in Robin's item pouch," she said, "as I made use of it in my experiments. And while I possess no evidence to support this, frankly, asinine assertion... I... believe its intended recipient was... me."

Sully couldn't help but a crack a smile. "Trust me, hon'... You don't need any damn evidence to back up that theory." She gave her friend a soft rap on the chin. "I see the way he looks at you," she said, smiling wide. "Everyone does. I guarantee it: that ring has got your name all over it."

A gentle gasp escaped Miriel's throat and a faint blush appeared on her face. "But," she said, seeming short of breath. "I've analyzed its surface in search of any legible characters-"

"I don't mean literally, you damn smartass! I just meant... ugh, come on, Mir', it's plain as day. He loves you. That's all there is to it."

Another gasp left the bespectacled bookworm, this one punctuated by an ever deeper shade of red spreading across her face and neck. "I see," she said. "F...Fascinating..."

Sully pushed herself up and crossed her legs, letting her flaccid member lay on the cool floor. "And how does that make you feel?"

"It is... an arduous feeling to define," said Miriel. "I feel...simultaneously joyous, apprehensive... abashed, and... tumultuous... But, perhaps above all, I... I suppose I am... hopeful. Hopeful that your deductions are correct..."

Sully put her hands on her friend's shoulders, drawing out a hot gasp. She grinned ear-to-ear and gave Miriel's shoulders a few rough pats. "See that?" she said. "That's it, right there. What you're feeling right now? That's love. You don't need some damn dictionary, or... peer-reviewed scientific study to understand what love is. You just know it when you feel it."

She could see Miriel's lower lip quivering, so she offered her a wink. "You two make a damn cute couple," she said. "You're gonna be great together."

Sully's reassuring smile soon fell to a look of remorse, and she let out a small sigh. "If only I had it so easy..."

Miriel blinked a few times. "What troubles you?"

"Look at me, Miriel..." Sully's arms fell limp at her sides as she stared into her crotch, her flaccid phallus laying there, staring up at her like a snake. "I know you said I'd have my uses, but... Nobody's ever gonna love... this..."

"That seems an unreasonable conclusion," said Miriel. "This world is vast, and saturated with persons of differing tastes and perceptions of beauty. Statistically, it seems exceptionally likely that there must exist at least a small amount of individuals who would readily accept your bizarre anatomy. Take me, for example."

Sully forced herself to smile. "Do you love me?"

"W...well," Miriel stammered, "No, but... I admire and accept you, and all of your components. Anecdotal evidence at best, yes, but... the law of probability holds that there must be others like me."

"Hmm... Well, thanks. You're one of the good ones, that's for sure. But I just don't see somebody like Virion..." Sully bit her lip, her voice dying in her throat. "Tch...! Shit...!"

A wry smile formed on Miriel's face. "You harbor affection for Virion?"

Sully clenched her teeth and fought back a blush. "Hell no! That guy's a moron! Ggh... But... he... Aw, I dunno, I guess... I guess I've been thinking about him lately, too. He just... He's the only guy in camp who makes me feel like... I'm still a woman. And not... whatever the hell I really am."

"You are every bit a woman, I assure you," said Miriel, pushing up her glasses. "And your fears of Virion's rejection are perhaps more unfounded than you may imagine."

In spite of herself, Sully lit up. "Wh... what the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Permit me to clarify; throughout my studies of our peers, I have observed him in a variety of compromising positions. He seems to possess a particular affinity for anal penetration. While pleasuring himself in the bath, I have witnessed him inserting all manner of objects into himself, ranging from a small cucumber to his own bow."

Sully could fight off her blush no longer, and bit her lip as she felt her cheeks turn a dark red. "You... you think he's..."

"I think few in camp would dispute Virion's adulation of the feminine form," said Miriel. "However, I would hypothesize that he is somewhat likely to conceal repressed desires for male genitalia, as well."

A tiny gasp forced its way out of Sully's nose. She pulled her mouth into a smile, though refused to release the grip her bottom row of teeth had on her upper lip. She couldn't seem to find the words she wanted to say, so Miriel spoke for her.

"Of course," she said, "The possibility of rejection still exists, though that much is true of any interpersonal relationship. Nevertheless, I would estimate that of all the males in camp, Virion is the least likely to spurn you for your physiology."

Sully clamped her eyes shut, trying hard to push back the tears she could feel welling in her eyes. "I see," she said. "I'll... keep that in mind."

Miriel closed her eyes and pushed up her glasses. "And even if he does," she said, "You need only inform me, and I will gladly rain fire and lightning upon him until he comes to his senses."

They stared at each other and smiled. Sully let out a giggle. In spite of herself, a single tear rolled down her cheek. She took in a sniff and wiped it away.

"Virion may be, as you put it, a 'moron,'" said Miriel, "But I maintain that even he... nay, _especially he _couldn't be so foolish as to rebuff such a beautiful, capable, intelligent woman... simply because she happened to include a few additional parts."

Sully threw her arms around her friend, pulling her into a suffocating hug. "Thanks, Miriel," she whispered, resting her chin on the mage's head. "You're a true friend."

A minute or two passed in relative silence, punctuated only by barely audible _claps_ as Sully gave Miriel a few pats on the back. They broke from the hug and bathed in silence, helping each other reach each other's backs and other troublesome areas. When they thought themselves adequately clean, they climbed out of the lukewarm water and Sully set about dressing herself; Miriel helped her tuck her penis against her stomach, carefully binding it. She helped her into her smallclothes, into her greaves, and into most of the rest of her armor. As Sully pulled on and buckled her chest plate herself, Miriel replaced her own robes, carefully buckling her belt, taking care not to let Robin's ring spill out. She looked her friend in the nose and finally spoke up. "My hypothesis about Virion," she said, pulling her oversized hat over her head. "What emotions does it stir within you?"

Sully stared at her for a moment, then shook her head and laughed. "Heh... I guess... It makes me feel happy. And a little nervous, too. A little embarrassed... and a little unsure."

Miriel narrowed her eyes and put on a smug grin.

"I know, I know," said Sully, laughing again. "And, I guess, most of all... I just hope you're right."

"Fascinating," said Miriel, looking toward the ceiling. "Perhaps... the definition of 'love' is more concrete than I realized..."

"Maybe," said Sully, putting her hands on her hips. "But it's still not something you're meant to define."

"Yes... perhaps that is why I have struggled with it so... Not because it is indefinable, but because, unlike any other subject I've ever confronted, defining it only further obscures its true meaning. I believe I... finally understand."

"I think I finally get it, too," said Sully. She tilted her head and smiled wide. "Boy, if you would've told me when I first met that damned fool that I'd end up falling for him... I would have said you were full of crap!"

Miriel pushed up her glasses for the umpteenth time. "Similarly," she said, "I never could have imagined that Robin would have been the one to wring such complex emotions from me... Or that you would be the one to help me make sense of them."

Sully leaned in and gave her a peck on the forehead. "Thanks again, Miriel. You really helped me figure some stuff out."

"Think nothing of it," she said, wearing a bright smile. "You have imparted much relevant wisdom to me, as well."

"Don't sound so damn surprised," laughed Sully.

"Not at all. You are a lucid, intelligent woman... That much was patently clear to me even before I began such thorough investigation."

They shared a smile, then a giggle, and then another hug. They thanked each other one last time and left the bath, heading their separate ways.

"Where ya headed?" asked Sully.

Miriel closed her eyes and blushed, which was enough of an answer itself. "I suspect I need to have a word with Robin," she said.

"Heh," laughed Sully. She shook her head and shot her friend one last smile. "Good luck," she said.

She made her way throughout camp, grinning like an idiot. The cool night air felt great on her skin. She was almost to her tent when something stopped her; a nagging thought. A hunch, she might have called it. She spun around on her heels and headed off toward the barracks.

She could see a light spilling out of the room as she approached, and sure enough, she was met with a familiar sight as she stuck her head in: the back of Robin's head. He was hunched over the small desk in the corner of the room, but turned and sat up straight when he heard her footsteps.

"Oh! Hello, Sully," he said, putting on a warm smile. "You're up late tonight."

She put her hands on her hips and let out a soft chuckle. "I could say the same to you," she said. "What's up?"

"Just running through some formations for tomorrow... er, today's mission. Got to be prepared, you know?"

Sully smiled out of the corner of her mouth and released a small grunt of a laugh. His response was too well-rehearsed. She knew there was more to it than that.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?"

Robin winced. "Yeah," he said, "You caught me."

"You know," she said, taking a glance toward the ceiling. "Miriel's looking for you."

She saw his eyes go wide, and he stood up from his chair. "Really?"

She grinned and nodded her head. "Yeah. We were just talking about you, actually."

Robin seemed to stand up straighter. "Oh...?"

"Yeah," she said, stepping up to him, staring into his eyes. "In fact, there's somethin' I wanna tell you."

He blinked a few times, getting a bit nervous under her gaze. "Oh... yeah? What's that?"

She pushed her finger into his shoulder and slipped into a low growl. "If you ever hurt her," she said, "I'll unleash tenfold on you. I'll show you what hell is really like. Understand?"

Robin jerked back his head and furrowed his brow. "Wh... What in the world...? Sully, what are you trying to say? You know I would never dream of hurting Miriel. O...or anyone in camp."

She crossed her arms and smiled. "I know you wouldn't," she said, returning to her normal voice. "You're a good guy, Robin... and a damned lucky one, at that." She gave him a quick, informal salute and turned to leave. "I'll tell her you're in here," she said.

"Hey," called Robin, halting her in her tracks. "You actually smiled! I take it you're feeling better than you were this afternoon?"

"Yeah," laughed Sully. "I have your wife to thank for that."

"My... wife?"

Sully winked and ducked out of the barracks.

"What... Hey, wait!"


End file.
